ACTION RHYME: Birthday MonthsI started out by asking everyone, “Do you have a birthday?” “When is your birthday?” Some knew, some didn’t, but I received a whole chorus of answers! Birthday talk makes everyone excited. 🙂Then, we did this action rhyme. I had no expectation that only the children born in January would turn around, etc. So I called out “Who has a January birthday?” We’d clap and acknowledge their birthdays, and then do the action. I repeated this for each month.

If your birthday is in January, turn around.
If your birthday is in February, touch the ground.
If your birthday is in March, march along.
If your birthday is in April, sing a song.
If your birthday is in May, wiggle your nose.
If your birthday is in June, shake your toes.
If your birthday is in July, jump up high.
If your birthday is in August, reach the sky.
If your birthday is in September, tap your shoe.
If your birthday is in October, call out “Boo!”
If your birthday is in November, tickle your ears.
If your birthday is in December, give three cheers. (hip, hip, hooray!)

BOOK 1:Little Gorilla by Ruth BornsteinEveryone in the jungle loves little gorilla. But then one day, he grows, and he grows, and he grows…..until he is BIG. Everyone still loves him and they all shout “Happy Birthday!”

FINGERPLAY: Make a CakeI adapted this from the rhyme found on Silly Librarian. Check out Jennifer’s blog for the original words!

Mix the batter, stir the batter(make a stirring motion with one arm/hand)
Shake some flour in(make a shaking motion with one arm/hand)
Mix the batter, stir the batter(make a stirring motion with one arm/hand)
Place it in a tin(pretend to pour)

Sprinkle in some chocolate chips(pretend to sprinkle)
Put it in to bake(open both hands, palms up, and slide them forward)
Then open wide the oven door(pretend to open door)
And out comes the cake!(open both hands, palms up, and slide them forward)

SONG: Jell-O in the Bowl
I sang this to the tune of “A Hunting We Will Go.” We started out slow and with each repetition got faster and faster!

Jell-O in the bowl, (cup hands and wiggle around)
Jell-O in the bowl.
Wibble Wobble
Wibble Wobble
Jell-O in the bowl.

Cookies in the jar, (form “jar” with hands and shake)
Cookies in the jar,
Shake ‘em up,
Shake ‘em up,
Cookies in the jar,

BOOK 2:A Birthday for Cow by Jan ThomasMouse and Pig are baking the best ever birthday cake for cow, but duck keeps interrupting. He wants to add a TURNIP to the cake. (eew, a turnip?) A silly book that is a fun read aloud. Make sure to ask your kids if they want a turnip in their birthday cake.

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6 thoughts on “Birthdays”

I really like your Birthday Months Action Rhyme. It would definitely get the kids up and moving! 😉 And I like my birth month’s motion… “tickle your ears”! I have a good action song to follow this rhyme. It has the kids pulling their ears and pushing their noses and clapping their hands and finally ends with “now I sit down to make my lap”. Now they are ready for another story!